Dirk Nowitzki injury: Mavericks forward twists ankle, returns for third quarter

Prior to the sustaining the ankle injury, Nowitzki scored two points on 1-of-2 from the field and added three rebounds and one assist. Going into the game on Tuesday night, the Mavs are riding a five-game winning streak, so any sustained absence of their best player will put them in jeopardy of losing their momentum.

In 50 games in the 2013-14 season, the veteran is averaging 21.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 0.6 blocks per contest while posting a 24.6 player efficiency rating (via ESPN.com), showing no signs of slowing down. After missing the postseason last year, the Mavs are in the playoff hunt and currently hold the No. 8 seed. They’ll need Nowitzki on the floor down the stretch in order to keep pace in the competitive Western Conference.

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